First appeared in
Asian Development Bank
100 Climate Actions from Cities in Asia and the Pacific
The residents of Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands, will benefit from a new 14 megawatts (MW) hydropower plant on the Tina River that will help replace diesel and boost renewable electricity to 85% of the mix for the city.
The residents of Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands, will benefit from a new 14 megawatts (MW) hydropower plant on the Tina River that will help replace diesel and boost renewable electricity to 85% of the mix for the city.
The project’s new 15 MW hydropower plant on the Tina river is the largest ever public-private partnership on the islands, with the state utility entering into a 34-year power purchase agreement for the electricity generated. The project is due for completion by the end of 2024.
68%
OF HONIARA’S POWER DEMAND MET THROUGH THE PROJECT
OF HONIARA’S POWER DEMAND MET THROUGH THE PROJECT
The Tina River project will provide an estimated 68% of the power demands from Honiara and will also curb Solomon Islands’ reliance on imported diesel by almost 70%. With the commissioning of the plant and proposed solar investments, the extent of renewable energy integration is expected to grow from 1% in 2016 to 85% in 2022 (68% from the hydropower plant and 17% from solar). The Tina River project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around 50,000 tCO2e per year.
The project is funded through an ADB-administered grant ($12 million) and loan ($18 million); co-financing through the Abu Dhabi Development Fund ($15 million), Government of Australia ($11.70 million), Green Climate Fund ($86 million), Export-Import Bank of Korea ($31.60 million), World Bank ($31.20 million); and government co-financing ($17.07 million).
The project will help reduce Solomon Islands’ reliance on imported fossil fuels through hydropower generated from Tina River (photo by Sallyanne Shute-Trembath).
The Challenge
The Solomon Islands capital city Honiara is home to 84,000 people, more than 10% of the country’s population, but until now has been powered almost entirely by diesel fuel.
Co-Benefits
Economic This project combined with a push for more solar will lower power prices for homes and businesses across the country, where the price of electricity is among the highest in the world.
Social The project will contribute to poverty reduction, improve the reliability of electricity for existing customers, and provide employment during project construction/implementation.
Health Reduced emissions from diesel combustion is expected to lower the risk of cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases through improvements in air quality.